The fan’s sign read “Toronto Stronger” — a play on the “Boston Strong” campaign that Bostonians rallied around after the
Boston Marathon bombings
.

Almost immediately after the photo hit social media, reaction from citizens of both cities was fierce. Many felt the sign went too far, with some calling it “
disrespectful
” and “embarrassing.”

Now, one Boston sports columnist is thanking Toronto fans for their support — a surprise move during a heated playoff rivalry.

In his
column Wednesday
, Boston Herald columnist Steve Buckley applauded Leaf fans for denouncing the sign and sticking up for a city on the mend.

“Yep, give it up for Leafs yahoos from Ontario and beyond, bless their hearts,” Buckley writes. “It’s fans of the Maple Leafs who are showing the world what sports decorum is all about.”

He also called on Bruins fans to stay onside while Toronto fans sort this out amongst themselves.

“This isn’t about you, Bruins fans. This is Toronto family business, and it’s being taken care of in-house,” he writes.

This isn’t the first instance of spectator passions getting out of hand in this series. After a Game 2 win by the Leafs, one Toronto fan
said he was knocked out
after being punched in the jaw by one of the Bruins’ faithful.

Buckley also addressed this incident, calling for Bruins fans to “drum that guy out of your fraternity.”

Yep, give it up for Leafs yahoos from Ontario and beyond, bless their hearts.

This time, Bruins fans don’t need to come to the defense of our beloved, on-the-mend city. In a truly historic twist, especially when one considers this is the Stanley Cup playoffs, it’s fans of the Maple Leafs who are showing the world what sports decorum is all about.

At issue here is an incident from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals between the Bruins and Maple Leafs, played Monday night at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Decked out in sunglasses and a blue-and-white Maple Leafs sweater, a spectator — sorry, can’t call him a fan — held aloft a placard on which was written: “Toronto Stronger.”

The idea, I guess, is that the guy was hoping to appropriate “Boston Strong,” which has come to symbolize our town’s strength, perseverance and teamwork in the aftermath of last month’s marathon bombings. We hear the phrase Boston Strong and we instantly think about the first responders, and the many people who suffered serious injuries, and, yes, the four people who lost their lives.

Boston Strong.

Bruins players wear Boston Strong T-shirts. At Fenway Park, a “B” Strong logo has been affixed to the Green Monster. We’ve seen “Entering Boston” signs being altered to include the word “strong.”

Boston Strong.

It seems to touch all of us.

It touched that guy in Toronto right in the head.

Now don’t get all stupid and throw it out there that this is the first time the Maple Leafs have been in the Stanley Cup tournament in nine years, and that, you know, it’s only natural that their fans might be a little unsteady on their playoff legs.

That’s not the case at all. The Maple Leafs fans have been acting like, well, sports fans — loud, goofy, over the top. Same as Bruins fans. But one guy, in Toronto, came up with the “Toronto Stronger” sign. And Maple Leafs fans are really, really ticked off about it. They’ve taken to Twitter, Facebook and the talk shows to make known their ticked-off-ness about what happened, and nearly 70 percent of respondents to an online poll by the Toronto Sun agree that the sign went too far.

This isn’t about you, Bruins fans. This is Toronto family business, and it’s being taken care of in-house. You can weigh in if you’d like, but please stay on your side of the room and let them sort things out.

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